WHOOPI & WAXIPEDIA
~ Orlando, Florida ~
WAXIPEDIA has a goal, that in concept seems simple, and that is to tell the amazing stories behind the wax arts. To meet that lofty goal the WAXIPEDIA ARCHIVES was established as a resource of information and artifacts. From brochures, postcards and guidebooks to banners, photographs and films the collection now numbers into the thousands.
What is WAXIPEDIA without wax figures? Well, truth be told, this has always kind of been a one man show and I'm not some super rich millionaire (I work some pretty basic jobs to keep the bills played and the lights on). The upside is that I'm humble and have been very happy to cherish so many of the wonderful things which I am the caretaker of. The downside is that I can't purchase every wax figure that presents itself.
BUT that does not mean that I haven't been blessed with the opportunity to purchase some amazing works of art for my collection. One of the best happens to be a life-size wax figure of one of my favorite actresses; Whoopi Goldberg.
Originally created by sculptress Sonya Vasquez, the piece was commissioned by a private collector who wanted his own wax museum in his home. He eventually got his wish, but after years of living his dream he came to a point where he felt the time was right for his celebrity friends to move onto other pastures.
When I found out about the figures availability he and I agreed on a price and I drove to South Florida to pick it up.
SIDE NOTE: If you've never had to drive with wax figures in your car PLEASE KNOW people will stare at you with judgement! (One day if you all are nice, I'll tell you how I was stopped by police because of a wax figure!)
And now, repainted and redressed as Sister Mary Clarence, from the blockbuster film Sister Act, this beautiful wax figure is a vital part of the WAXIPEDIA ARCHIVES and has made special appearances at various museums, heritage centers, festivals and film premieres.
Here for your enjoyment are a few photographs of the vintage wax figure of Whoopi Goldberg created by artists Sonya Vasquez, courtesy of the personal collection of Timothy Randall.
(click the pictures for full-sized High Definition images)
Dedicated to preserving the history of Wax Arts, and the unique stories of all those involved in its development, WAXIPEDIA strives to be the number one source of information on the subject of Wax Museums and their role in the attractions and entertainment industries. Through the sharing of photographs, brochures, movies and stories we hope to enlighten, engage and entertain all who discover us.
As a resource, the WAXIPEDIA ARCHIVES was established in 2014 as a repository for physical examples and information pertaining to these educational goals. Consisting of thousands of items (ranging from century-and-a-half year old guidebooks to life-sized wax figures) the ARCHIVES are the backbone of WAXIPEDIA's mission and we hope to inspire future generations of artists, designers, historians and fans.
Anyone interested in donating items to the ARCHIVES is encouraged to reach out to me directly at timothywrandall@gmail.com
~ Thank You ~
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